Children have long been fascinated by the appearance of illuminated or brightly-colored objects. Toy manufacturers have recognized this affinity, and currently provide a variety of different toys or novelty articles that are illuminated or brightly-colored.
Another enticing element common to many toys is a hand-holdable configuration. In other words, many children are highly attracted to and enjoy using a hand-holdable toy or novelty article which can be held and carried by the user. In this regard, several toys have been designed, for example, to include an elongated tube or stick, so as to resemble a magic wand or toy sword.
Some toys include a combination of illuminated or brightly-colored objects with a handle. For example, perhaps influenced by the movie "Star Wars".RTM., hand-holdable toys, some of which are sold under the trade designation "LIGHT SABER", are available. Generally, such toys include a colored, semi-transparent tube attached to a handle. The handle may further include a switch for activating an interior light source to illuminate the tube.
Other hand-holdable, illuminated novelty articles have also been devised, including fluorescent-colored cylinders (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,678,608 (Dugliss); U.S. Pat. No. 4,717,511 (Koroscil); U.S. Pat. No. 5,043,851 (Kaplan); U.S. Pat. No. 5,122,306 (Van Moer et al.); and U.S. Pat. No. 5,232,635 (Van Moer et al.) and U.S. Patent Design No. 331,889 (Kaplan)). Such cylinders are commonly comprised of a flexible plastic outer tube and a brittle inner tube. A first liquid is maintained within the inner tube and a second liquid maintained between the outer tube and the inner tube. When the cylinder is bent, the inner tube breaks, allowing the two liquids to mix. The resulting mixture produces a "glowing" effect. Such novelty articles are available, for example, from The Coleman Company, Inc. of Kansas under the trade designation "ILLUMISTICKS", and from Omniglow Corp. of Portsmouth, N.H. under the trade designation "SNAPLIGHT".
While illuminated tubes and fluorescent-colored cylinders do present articles appealing to children, some inherent limitations may exist. For example, illuminated tubes and fluorescent-colored cylinders are generally unable to produce multiple colors. While it may be possible, for example, to have different colored layers of plastic as part of the illuminated tube, these colors normally will not change during use. It is believed that a multi-colored object is highly attractive. Thus, an important attribute appealing to children is unfulfilled by existing illuminated tube and fluorescent-colored cylinder toys.
Toy and other novelty article manufacturers are continually attempting to produce hand-holdable entertainment devices or toys which function in the dark. Further, many children and adults alike desire to purchase and use such products. Although there are several products available which combine an illuminated object with a handle, a need exists for a hand-holdable toy capable of producing a multicolored, illuminated effect.